Smuggled puppies seized at Scottish port

Animal inspectors have seized 27 puppies smuggled from Ireland at a Scottish port.

The Scottish SPCA recovered the animals early on Wednesday at Cairnryan in Dumfries and Galloway as part of Operation Delphin.

Various breeds were discovered locked in cages in large wooden containers in the random stop by ports police at Cairnryan.

It is estimated they would have been sold for at least £600 each.

An undercover inspector said: "Unfortunately, the puppy trade is big business in Scotland with thousands of dogs being brought into the country each year from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, in particular from large-scale puppy farms.

"They are then sold on at huge profit by the dealers."

All of the animals were taken back to Ireland, where they are being cared for by the ISPCA while investigations are ongoing.

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